Steps up the Ladder
by JeanNBaka.co
Summary: Red receives his first Pokémon. He decides to take the gym challenge and become the Champion. Will he be able to become the very best, and what will it cost him? Also, who is the cloaked stranger, Chaos, who accompanies him on his journey?
1. Prologue - Solid Ground

-Prologue-

As expected, Red had not slept that night. Tossing and turning in his bed, he just couldn't get himself to calm down enough to fall asleep. Eventually, he had sighed and given up. He just gave in to the thoughts in his head and closed his eyes.

Tomorrow he would get his first partner. They would travel around the region together, collecting badges on the way. His new partner was, of course, not human. It was a creature known in his country as a Pokémon, a being with supernatural and sometimes magical powers that were treated as friends, partners, pets and very much like people. Trainers would – as their name suggested – train Pokémon to fight other Pokémon in matches of strength known to all as Pokémon battling.

This was Red's goal.

He strived to be the very best, like no one ever was. He'd catch strong Pokémon, train them to make them even stronger, and eventually defeat the reigning Champion of the region so he could claim the title of strongest trainer in Kanto. However, as he did not have any Pokémon himself, there was no way of doing so. Luckily, there lived an old man in his village who was a Pokémon professor, by the name of Samuel Oak. Later, Red would learn he was known by many and regarded as an elite if it came to knowledge on Pokémon, but right now there was only one thing about this man that mattered to the boy.

Professor Samuel Oak had agreed on giving him a Pokémon.


	2. Chapter 1 - First step: Oak's Laboratory

With a wide grin on his face, the black-haired kid stepped into the laboratory. Looking around, he saw all kinds of weird machines and devices standing on tables, shelves, and sometimes even on the floor. Several researchers where absorbed in their books, appearing to have not even noticed the boy, whose smile faltered when he saw the professor was not in the room. After quickly scanning his environment and deducing there weren't any doors, the boy's smile faded completely. It wasn't until someone across the room spoke up that he moved.

'Hey, Reddy-boy. What're you doing here? 'M sure gramps isn't going to give _you _a Pokémon?'

Sure enough, Red had noticed the brown-haired kid, but he had pretended not to see him. The boy couldn't resist taunting him whenever he had the chance. And this was a golden one. 'Go away, Blue. I'm looking for Professor Oak.'

The boy, Blue, had once been a friend of Red's. No, even more so, they were best friends. They were together every day (which wasn't very difficult, as they were neighbors), they talked a lot, they played games they had made up together, and had the same dream. The dream of becoming the strongest trainer there had ever been.

It was this dream that drove them apart.

Blue had always been self-centered and was friends with Red because he deemed the boy weaker than him. Red, however, thought of them as equals and had friendly competition in mind. Blue became more and more arrogant and would constantly remark on how strong he was and how much stronger he'd become, and whenever Red spoke up saying he'd become strong too, the brunette would eye him with pity and tell him too never stop trying, because "you could become pretty strong, but never able to beat me." As Red had to hear more and more of these comments, he became so insecure he became a very silent person. Blue noticed this and didn't think him worthy of being his "friend" any more. Thus, his bullying began.

Now, as they were both fifteen years old, they were not even "acquaintances" any more. They were downright enemies. This would change later on, but right now, they hated each other.

The black-haired boy turned around before his bully could say anything and walked outside, closing the door behind him. Walking into an Oak-less laboratory and coming face to face with his greatest fear (because even though he denied it, he was afraid of his neighbor) had completely ruined his mood. Kicking a rock, he tried to think of places the old man could be. He was not in the laboratory. If Red had searched all other places and couldn't find him anywhere, he would return there and wait for him. He was a good friend of Red's mother, but he probably wasn't at their house. Red would have passed him on the street when walking to the lab. He could have gone shopping, or something like that. Red decided to check the main stores eventually, but first he went to search Oak's house- or rather, the house of his kids.

The doorbell's ring had barely faded when a girl opened the door. She blushed slightly when she saw Red, but quickly regained her posture and greeted him. 'Hi Red! What is it? Shouldn't you be at grandpa's lab?' Red smiled. Daisy, Blue's sister, had always been nice to him, even when Blue had stopped talking to him. 'Well, I went there, but the professor isn't there. I suppose he also isn't at your house?'Daisy shook her head. 'Sorry.' 'Do you have any idea where he could be?' She thought for a second, and then snapped her fingers. 'Of course! He said he was out doing fieldwork! When he told me, I forgot to tell him he should be at the lab. Sorry!' Grinning, Red waved away her apology. 'Nah, no problem. I'll go find him on Route 1. Thanks, Daisy!' He turned around and waved back at her before jogging to the route north of his beloved Pallet Town. 'You're welcome!' he heard her chime behind him. 'Bye, Red!'

There was a lot of tall grass. Red wasn't sure how to get past it without getting attacked by some random Pokémon. He was just about to jump into the tall grass and run through it as fast as he could, when professor Oak hastily ran up to him and stopped him. 'Boy, what in the name of- What are you doing, boy?' Confused because the man didn't seem to recognize him, Red didn't know what to say. 'Um…' He was about to explain when Oak made an 'aha!' sound and dragged him towards his lab. 'What-' 'I'm sorry, Red, I didn't recognize you there! I haven't seen you in years! Now, here we are!' They had stopped in front of professor Oak's lab, and the old man happily opened the door.

'This is a special moment, young man!' he said while guiding the stunned trainer-to-be towards the back end of the research facility. 'You're getting your very first partner and- oh, hello Blue! I didn't know you were here already!' Red's spiky-haired neighbor raised his head and looked up to his grandfather. 'You were supposed to be here almost an hour ago.' The boy was definitely bored, and his short temper was going to show within minutes now. Luckily, the professor also saw this and apologized. 'I'm sorry, Blue, I had fieldwork to do and forgot you were waiting for me. Now come over to the table please.' Blue snorted but stood up and approached a large white table. On it were three spheres about the size of a small orange, with two halves – a red upper and white lower half – divided by a grey band with a button on it. It took Red about half a second to recognize the spheres as something vital to being a Pokémon trainer – Poké Balls.

A Pokémon trainer, as said before, trains Pokémon and battles with them. However, it is necessary to first earn the creature's trust, before such training can be done. Also, to train them efficiently, it is useful to keep the Pokémon with you at all times. This would normally not be easy, as some Pocket Monsters (which is a Pokémon's full name) are not nearly as pocket-sized as one would hope.

Thus, someone invented the Poké Ball. A small, round object in which a Pokémon can be contained as a form of energy. A Pokémon in the Poké Ball of a trainer is widely believed to be in that trainer's possession.

Three Poké Balls were sitting on the table. Red felt his hands shaking against his sides. _Three of them, _he thought. _One for me, one for Blue, and… _'Professor?' 'Yes, my boy?' 'Blue and I will both get a Pokémon, right?' 'Indeed.' 'There will be one left.' Oak smiled. 'That's right, Red. I will give the remaining Pokémon to another young trainer one day, but for now, that is nothing you two will have to worry about.' He shoved them towards the table and motioned towards the spheres. 'Go on. Red, you can pick first.' The man leaned over the table and quickly pushed the buttons on the Poké Balls, which caused them to open. A white energy came out of every capsule and revealed a Pokémon.

'From the left to the right, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander.' Oak said. He took a deep breath, and Red braced himself for what was coming next. The Pokémon professor was known for his rambling.

'Bulbasaur is a Grass-Poison type Pokémon, and an excellent choice for beginners. It evolves quickest of these three Pokémon and is also easiest to raise. Charmander is a pure Fire-type, but it will eventually become part Flying-type too. It's known to be somewhat harder to raise and if you want more of a challenge, Charmander is a good choice. Squirtle is kind of something between Bulbasaur and Charmander. It's not as easy to raise as Bulbasaur, neither is it as hard as Charmander. It's only Water-type, in all of its stages of evolution.'

_Evolution is the process where Pokémon change their forms to become stronger, _Red thought. 'Professor, do they all have three stages?' 'Yes, Red.' _So every one of them is able to evolve two times. _'Hey!' Blue piped up. 'Gramps, that's not fair! I want to pick first!' 'Easy now, Blue. I can't let you pick first, you're my own grandson. Now, wait there and let Red decide.'

In the meantime, Red was thinking of which Pokémon to choose. _Grass, Fire, or Water… _The three creatures looked up at him with a look of curiosity in their eyes. Bulbasaur, the Grass-type, looked like some kind of toad. Squirtle, the Water-type Pokémon in the middle, was like a turtle, and Charmander, the Fire-type, was a lizard. Squirtle, apart from its blue color, looked like an animal like Red had seen in books at home. Charmander and Bulbasaur looked more peculiar, though. Charmander was an orange color, it stood on its hind legs, and it had a flame on the tip of its tail. _No wonder, _Red thought, _it's a Fire-type after all. _The toad-like Pokémon was a greenish-blue color with darker colored spots on its body. The most interesting thing, though, was the large green flower bulb on its back, which was almost as large as its body. It stared at Red with its- well, red eyes.

They boy decided to go for his intuition and opened his mouth. 'Bulbasaur.' After he said it, he smiled. The decision felt right, Bulbasaur was really a nice Pokémon. Blue stepped forward. 'I take Charmander, then.' He swiftly scooped up the lizard's Poké Ball and pushed the button on it. The sphere opened and, transforming the orange creature into a white energy, sucked it in. 'Reddy-boy, it's so like you to pick the easy one. Of course, it only fits you. I take the one that's hard to raise because there won't be any kind of challenge if I pick Squirtle, you see.' He smirked and proceeded to look at the sphere in his hand, examining it from all sides. Red, who decided it would be best to not say anything, thanked professor Oak and turned around to leave. He was halfway to the exit when Blue stopped him, again with a smirk on his face.

'What do you say of a battle, Reddy? Think you can beat me?' Surprised, Red agreed to the challenge. He looked at Bulbasaur, who he had left outside of his Poké Ball, and nodded. 'What do you say, Bulbasaur? Wanna battle?' The toad-like creature grinned (apparently this was possible) and agreed with a sound, tilting its head upwards to look at its trainer's face. The novice trainer smiled at its enthusiasm and faced his childhood friend. 'We're ready, Blue.' Quickly, the brunette took the sphere containing his partner and pushed the button. The Fire-type came bursting out of it with a growl-like cry. 'Good. Let's go, Charmander!' 'You too, Bulbasaur!' The critters stepped forward to face each other, trying their best to look intimidating.

Suddenly, Red realized he had no idea what to do. He knew how Pokémon battles worked, there weren't that many rules, but he had no idea what moves his partner knew. Moves are techniques a Pokémon can use in battle, and some were stronger than others. There were moves that directly or indirectly damaged the opponent, moves that lowered or heightened attack, defense, speed or other things, and different supporting moves. Professor Oak, who had been watching the beginning battle, also noticed this and decided to help. 'Blue, your Charmander knows the moves Scratch and Growl. Red, Bulbasaur also knows Growl, along with Tackle.' Smiling, he stepped back and continued to watch. Red and Blue, who now knew what to do, looked at their Pokémon and then at each other, both waiting for the other to make a move.

'Scratch!' Blue's sudden yell surprised Red for a moment, but he recovered in time to tell Bulbasaur to dodge. Jumping aside faster than its look would suggest, it waited for its master's next command. 'Umm… Tackle!' Quickly, the toad sprang forward and hit its opponent with its whole body. The lizard was thrown backwards by the force of the attack, but remained on its feet. 'Scratch! Now!' Lashing forward, Charmander made a claw mark across Bulbasaur's face. The toad staggered backwards, but not fast enough for Charmander's next attack. 'Keep scratching it!' Blue cheered on his Pokémon. _I have to do something, quickly! _Cornered by its enemy, Bulbasaur couldn't escape. 'Come on, Bulbasaur! Use Growl, then Tackle!' Growl was a move that lowered the opponent's attack stat. By using it, Red hoped to reduce the damage done to his Pokémon, and then free it by having it use Tackle.

The green Pokémon growled at the orange one in front of him, easing up a little when seeing it lose a little confidence in its strikes. He then jumped forward and threw his whole body against his opponent's stomach. Charmander fell down, and Blue yelled at it to get up. 'Come on, you stupid Charmander! Get up and use Scratch again!' Red, however, saw his chance. 'Use Tackle one more time!' His partner obeyed and hit Blue's Pokémon, which fell down again. Professor Oak, who was apparently refereeing the match, held up his hand. 'Charmander is out! Red and Bulbasaur win!'

Exhausted, the green Pokémon lay down. Its master kneeled down at its side and scratched it behind its ears. 'You did great, Bulbasaur! I'll get you healed as fast as I can, so stay inside the Poké Ball for now, okay?' It nodded, so Red returned it to its capsule. He then stood up and looked at Blue, who had put his Charmander in its Poké Ball without a word. 'I picked the wrong Pokémon. Gramps, can I have the other one?' Sighing, the professor shook his head. 'No, Blue. You picked this one, so it's yours. Imagine how bad Charmander would feel if I told it you took Squirtle with you because it wasn't good enough!' 'Whatever, then. I'm gonna stop by my house to pick up a town map, and I'll tell my sis not to give Red one!' He looked at the black-haired boy. 'Alright, gramps, Reddy-boy, smell ya later!' And with a smirk and a wave of his hand he walked out of the lab with his fainted Pokémon.


	3. Chapter 1,5 - 06242002

_Log 001. June 24, 2002_

'Here you go. It's on. Now, go and say something about today's experiments.'

'But dad, I don't know what to say!'

'I told you not to call me dad. I'm not your father, Alice.'

'Sorry, da- what should I call you then?'

'Call me boss.'

'Boss?'

'Yes. Now, go say something.'

'Okay, boss. Umm… Well, today's experiments were… eh… fun!'

'Fun, Alice?'

'Yeah! I got to do these puzzles and it was really fun!'

'Good. Is there anything else?'

'Well… I got a piece of chocolate from Prof today! It was really good!'

'Alice… I think we should cut this log short.'

'Okay! I'll turn this thingy off, you can go, dad!'

'Don't call me dad, Alice.'

_Someone walks away. _

_Log end. The file extends several more hours, but nothing is heard. It can be assumed the person called "Alice" did not turn the device off. _


	4. Chapter 2 - Second step: First Road

As Red stepped out of the lab, he went over the things he had to do before leaving Pallet Town. First, he needed to pack his stuff. Second, he needed to get that Town Map from Blue's sister, Daisy. And third, needed to say goodbye to his mom.

Packing his bag, he remembered the Potion that was in his PC and withdrew it. He practically jumped down the stairs and hugged his mother. Then, he ran out of the house, to his neighbor's house.

Daisy was the one who opened the door, again. For a moment, Red didn't know how to ask. 'Um… Blue said you had a Town Map?' he tried. It was a strange question, but Daisy didn't seem to care. 'Uh-huh. You want one?' Red nodded. Daisy handed him a map and wished him safe travels. Thanking her, he turned on his heel and ran towards Route 1, where his journey would start.

The Town Map now safely tucked in his bag, Red stood in front of the tall grass on the route. Oak had asked him to collect something for him at the Pokémon Market in Viridian City, and to get there, he had to cross Route 1. So he did.

There were a whole lot of Pokémon on the route. There were small purple rat-like Pokémon Red recognized as Rattata, a Normal-type Pokémon, and bird Pidgey, a Normal-Flying-type. Walking through the tall grass resulted in a lot of those two species of Pokémon jumping him and him getting away as fast as he could. Eventually, he got tired and sent out Bulbasaur to defeat them. This didn't speed up his journey through the grass. When they finally got through, Red and Bulbasaur were exhausted. Sitting down on a rock, they decided to take a rest.

'Look, Bulbasaur.' Red had taken out the Town Map and was pointing at it. 'There are so many places to go! I honestly don't know where to start!' The blue toad looked at the map curiously. Suddenly, Red noticed the wounds and bruises on his companion. 'Bulbasaur! You're hurt!' Putting the Town Map back in his bag, he immediately started searching through the pockets for something that he could help his partner with. The Pokémon pushed its head against his leg as if to ensure him it was okay, but Red didn't agree. 'You're bleeding, Bulbasaur! There's bruises all over you!'

'Are you looking for a healing item?' The voice startled the red-capped boy and he dropped his bag. 'Who are you?' he asked the man that had appeared behind him, as he carefully picked up the thing to check if nothing inside it was broken. The man, who was wearing blue clothes that were without a doubt a uniform, smiled and proudly pointed at the logo on his shirt. 'I am an employee of the Pokémon Market, or Poké Mart for short!' He took a deep breath. 'We deliver lots and lots of items useful for Pokémon trainers and lovers alike! You know, a Pokémon Center is useful, because it heals your Pokémon to perfect health in no time, but,' he took another deep breath and continued, 'it is better to always carry some items with you to heal your Pokémon, because there will always be situations where there is no Pokémon Center available!' He pointed at Red's Bulbasaur. 'Like now! I'll give you a free sample, here you go! Don't hesitate to visit us to stock up on items!' He shoved a potion in Red's hands and walked away, carefully stepping through the tall grass on his way back.

Stunned, the boy with the black hair looked at the bottle in his hands. It was the same shade of blue as the man's uniform, and it had a spray top. Through the transparent sides, he could see a strange-colored liquid. _A potion, _Red thought. 'Good.' Turning to Bulbasaur, he tried the spray. Then he started spraying the potion on Bulbasaur's bruises and scratch marks.

The wounds healed incredibly quickly. You could see the wounds closing with the naked eye. So after only a brief rest, they could continue through the grass towards the next town, which was Viridian City.


	5. Chapter 2,5 - 07032002

**Chapter 2.5 – Experiment**

_Log 002. July 03, 2002_

'This is codename Sol. Log number one.

The experiment today was a success. We have successfully extracted substance E from test subject codename Orsus. The test subject is currently held in the capsule designed for extraction, until the subject is ready for the next experiment. We will continue to drain the subject from substance E as long as is needed.'

'Daddy, where are you?'

'Alice, I cannot have you here at the moment. Go play with the others.'

'But dad, I'm worried about-'

'No, Alice. Go. Now.'

'Yes, da… boss.'

_It is silent for a few seconds. Footsteps are heard, then a key in a lock. The key is not turned, so it can be assumed that someone checked to see if the door was locked._

'Tomorrow, we will start experiments with subject codename Musco. Log end.

_The log stops here. _


	6. Chapter 3 - Third step: Dead end

**Hello readers, I decided to thank you for sticking with me for, what is it now? Well, 3 chapters now, but the 3,5 chapter is already on its way, so it should be up as soon as this one :P. After posting the first chapter (plus prologue and 1,5) I didn't post anything for a month... I just kind of forgot about FFN, but it was great that people still read this! Also, thanks ShaddowTheSpirit for following my story! I hope you still read it, because otherwise you won't see this :) (I have to watch Danny Phantom again before reading your stories, but you know what? I don't mind!). **

**I just wanted to tell you that I'll go on vacation in two weeks, but I'll try to write a lot more in the meantime! I'm also thinking about writing one or two stories besides this one, so if I work everything out it'll be three stories :D. **

**Anyways, sorry for holding you up, and enjoy!**

* * *

Red picked up his Pokémon and took on a quick pace towards the Pokémon Center. Stepping inside through the automatic doors, he looked around him to take in the sights.

The room was large, but efficiently furnished. There was a reception desk directly in front of him, and chairs, sitting mats and couches to the sides to wait on. The center of the room was empty, so that the many trainers who could gather there could converse and interact comfortably. Some plants were standing at the sides and in the corners, and behind the nurse at the reception desk was a large screen showing changing information.

He walked up to the nurse and placed Bulbasaur gently on the counter. He opened his mouth, but before the boy could say something, the nurse spoke. 'Welcome to the Pokémon Center! You would like your Pokémon healed, am I right?' Red nodded. The woman smiled and lifted the toad off the counter. 'I'll be back in just a second, so wait here, please!' She turned around and quickly walked up to a machine, her pink hair bobbing because of her swift movements.

Placing Bulbasaur inside a capsule, she closed the machine by pushing a button and adjusted some setting on a screen next to it. Red was amazed by the speed and efficiency the nurse displayed, changing so many settings in a few seconds and pushing some more buttons. She hit one last rectangular button and the machine emitted a little light, before opening again. After taking the grass-type out of the opened capsule, she walked up to the counter and set Bulbasaur back on it. 'Thanks.' Red grinned and let his companion down to the ground. He waved and ran out of the Pokémon Center, with Bulbasaur right behind him.

'What do you mean? I can pass through, right?!' 'I'm sorry.' the girl said. 'Please don't be mad. My grandfather drank too much this morning, and now he's all grumpy. I'll get him normal again, and then you can go through, but just wait a while, okay?' Red and the blonde girl next to him were standing on the path leading north out of Viridian City. An old man was lying on the ground, and forbade Red to pass through, no matter what he said. The boy's eagerness to go on didn't help at all, and the girl was trying to calm the both of them down. Red snorted, and told the girl he had to pass through because he was going to travel all across the region. She apologized again. 'There's plenty to do around the town, though. Maybe you'll find something useful! Then you'll be glad you explored a little. Also, there's no way you're going to get through right now, so just handle it.' She was getting a little angry herself now, so Red left her alone and wandered into the city. _Green's probably already in the next town. _This thought didn't calm him down in any way, so he walked through the streets, looking for something to keep his mind from wandering.

Eventually, he found something.

The building was large, strong and brown, but most of all, intimidating. Well, it wasn't that big after all, Red realized, but so impressive it made it look enormous. It had automatic doors, which weren't transparent like the Pokémon Center's, but solid metal. Another difference was that these doors wouldn't open, no matter what the boy tried. After a few minutes of waving in front of everything that could have been something like a detector that made the doors open, Red noticed a sign next to the door. Hoping for an explanation, he took a closer look, but instead found the meaning of the building.

_Viridian City Pokémon Gym. _

Now, Red simply had to get in. Oblivious to his desperation, however, the doors stayed shut. An old man approached the struggling Pokémon trainer and urged him to calm down. 'There, there, young lad, that's quite enough of your jumping around.' the man said with a smile. 'This gym won't open for anyone. It has been closed for years. Nobody has the slightest idea who the gym leader is, even.' He pointed to the sign, still smiling. Red now noticed that there had been more text below the one he read, but the letters had been scraped away. 'His or her name should be there on the sign, but some vandals ruined the sign and nobody has ever repaired it. It seems as though the leader is still in function, though, as he hasn't been replaced yet.' The old man patted Red's shoulder and started to walk away. 'Goodbye now, young lad. My wife has made some delicious chicken soup that I do not want to miss!' He laughed and quickly scurried down the street. Red was left gazing at the building. _Well, _he thought to himself, _maybe it's for the best. I only have one Pokémon, and I don't even know what type this gym specializes in. If it's something like fire type… _He looked at his partner, Bulbasaur. _Then I'm toast. _Looking around, he noticed the sun now standing low and shining a light that was slightly orange. _Didn't that man say he was having dinner? It must be pretty late… Where do I sleep? _

Red was just about to head to the Pokémon Center, as he decided that would be his best bet, when someone approached him again. It was not the old man this time, but a person in a black cloak that calmly walked up to him. The person's face was covered by a large hood, and the cloak reached below his knees. His feet were covered in black boots. 'Good evening.' The greeting came unexpected, and Red blinked. For a moment, he hesitated, but then greeted back. 'Good evening.' Now about a meter from him, the stranger stopped and looked at him, staying silent. After what seemed like at least a minute, Red couldn't hold himself any longer. 'Who are you?' he blurted, immediately regretting the question. The hood moved when the stranger looked up at him. It was then Red realized the cloaked man was actually shorter than him, with slim shoulders. It was when the stranger spoke, however, that the boy could safely conclude it was a girl. 'My name is… No, that is not appropriate. My code name is… Chaos. And yours?' 'My code name?' 'No.' She cut him off with her answer, which sounded harsh and… it sounded like something else he couldn't put his finger on, but that made him reply without making fun of the fact that she made up a code name for herself. 'Red. My name is Red.' She breathed out and seemed almost relieved. Her behavior was very strange, and Red had no idea what to make of it. So he decided to clarify. 'Are you okay?' _Stupid question. _'Yes, I'm fine. Thank you.' Her answer was so automatic that Red was sure she had said it at least a hundred times before. The politeness of that automatic answer was also different from what most people said.

Who was she?

'Why are you here?' He continued his questions, as she seemed to fall silent when he didn't say anything. 'For you.' The simplicity and honesty of her answer stunned him for a moment, but he quickly recovered and continued. 'But why?' 'I was ordered to.' She finally took off her hood, revealing her face. She had short, silvery blonde hair, and there were several small scars across her face. Her eyes, however, were the most peculiar. One of them was red, while the other was green, but they were both so dark it was slightly hard to see what color they were exactly, especially from a distance. He almost missed her next words. 'By professor Oak. He wanted me to help you reach a high level in Pokémon training. But don't mention this to him. I wasn't supposed to tell you.' 'Then why did you?' The logic behind that question was simple and she understood perfectly. 'I am supposed to travel with you. How am I ever going to ask that of you if you can't even trust me to tell you why?' He nodded. 'Did he do this for Green, too?' She shook her head, and he waited for an explanation. 'He's too proud. He would never accept help from anybody.' Satisfied with that answer, he moved on to another subject. 'Does the Pokémon Center have beds?'


	7. Chapter 3,5 - 07042002

**Umm... I need your help on this one. You see, I've written three logs so far and if I go on writing a log after each chapter, the story I'm trying to tell with them will advance too fast and everything will get tangled up! So please tell me what you think I should do with these ,5 chapters, because I really want to continue them with every chapter, but I can't do a log every time. Maybe PM me, or put it in a review. Reviews would be really appreciated, even without ideas for the ,5 chapters. I really need feedback, guys! There's too many flaws in my writing for my liking. Help! **

**Well, anyway, I'll throw up a poll too, I guess :). Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 3.5 – Substance E**

_Log 003. July 04, 2002._

'This is codename Sol. Today's experiment was another success. We continued to extract newly formed substance E from codename Orsus, and it appears as though the pace it is generated is decreasing. Through this, we have deducted that the body will eventually stop producing substance E, which is our goal. We estimate the time to that point to be around two weeks. We will have to constantly drain substance E from the body to reach point E-0 within given time.

We purified test subject codename Musco and locked subject inside a new capsule. We are now extracting substance W from subject's body. Codename Musco's health is decreasing at a somewhat faster pace than with codename Orsus, but it is not at an alarming stage yet. We will continue to watch subject Musco with precision to ensure subject's health does not reach a critical state.

We have scheduled in a pause between these and further experiments. Codename Lux will receive treatment within two weeks, which will be scheduled time for codename Orsus to reach point E-0.'

_It is silent for a moment, though the sound of writing can be heard. _

'Estimated time 6 months to codename Chaos.'

_End log._


	8. Chapter 4 - Fourth step: Pokémon League

**Hey everyone! **

**In the last chapter, I asked if you could tell me what I should do with the half chapters, **

**but no one has replied yet! Makes me feel rather stupid, ahaha...**

**Anyway, don't worry about it. I'll go on with the sound logs, **

**and we'll see how everything turns out. **

**Enjoy! **

* * *

Refreshed and ready to set out again, Red pushed himself up and wriggled himself out of his sleeping bag. It was still pretty early, so the sound of cars outside wasn't very loud yet. He noticed a black-cloaked person sitting on a couch, and even considering he had known her for just a few hours now, it was obvious to him that the way she sat was way too relaxed for her to be awake. She wasn't stiff per se, but there was something about her that seemed… well, cautious. Ready to flee, or to attack. He didn't know which yet, but she was ready to move at all times. Except now, of course.

When he got up, however, she started awake immediately. _Not so relaxed at all, it seems._ The thought crossed Red's mind that even in her sleep, she noticed every little noise around her. Even though the thought impressed him, he couldn't help but notice something else as well. 'You actually sleep in that thing, too?' 'What, the cloak?' She looked down, at least, he thought she did, and made a sound Red assumed was a chuckle. 'It's another one. I just…' Her voice faded away and she appeared to be thinking over her words carefully before speaking them. 'Let's just say I feel better this way.'

Red lifted an eyebrow but didn't push the matter. Instead, he picked up his bag and headed to the restrooms. Looking back, he saw her leaning against the back of the couch, her shoulders clearly tense even through the cloak.

'So, where to now? Where can we go?' The question wasn't directed at the girl standing next to him, but she still answered. 'I suggest you stock up on healing items before you go ahead.' 'Huh? Why?' She sighed and gestured in the direction of the path leading north. 'You were thinking about becoming the Champion, right?' 'You mean the Pokémon League is that way?' She shook her head, a deep sigh escaping her. 'No, it's to the west. Surely you've-' 'Well, what're we waiting for then?! Let's go there!' Before Chaos could stop him, he had started to run to the west.

They didn't get very far, however. Their journey to the west had only taken ten minutes – most of which they were still in the city – when they found themselves face to face with none other than Red's brown-haired rival – Green. 'Hey, Reddie. How are you today?' As always, he had a smug grin on his face. 'Wanna battle to see who trained their Pokémon better?' Before Red could reply, however, Chaos stepped forward. 'What the hell happened to your hair?!' She reached for it, but before she could touch it Green quickly stepped back and ran a hand over it himself. 'It feels fine. What's your deal?' 'Well, it's all spiky! It wasn't like that before.' Now Green looked very confused. Red also didn't know what to make of everything. Had they known each other? 'It's always been this spiky. And do I know you? Why are you wearing that cloak?' Chaos pulled her hood back, revealing her face, and answered calmly. 'I'm wearing the cloak because I feel better that way. And for your first question, that depends. Do you know me?' Green seemed stunned for a moment, looked at her face for a few seconds, and then crossed his arms. 'No, I don't.' 'Good.' 'Eh?' Now he was really at a loss. Well, he wasn't the only one, of course. 'Um, why's that good?' Red asked. 'Are you some kind of stalker?' Green's tone was smug, like he was joking, but something in his voice gave away that he was curious. 'No.' 'Then, what's my name?' For a moment, Chaos seemed like she knew, but then she shook her head. 'No, I don't.' It was clear Green didn't believe her, but he told her his name anyway. 'Interesting. Both of you are named after colors. Coincidence?' Red and Green looked at each other, and thought for a few seconds. 'I don't think so. Our mothers knew each other, after all.' Chaos nodded. 'I see. Then, what about your hair, Green?' He moved his hand up to his hair subconsciously. 'Yeah, what about it?' 'Well, I'm completely sure it wasn't that spiky.' Green looked like he was about to deny that again, but stopped mid-sentence and thought for a while. 'Then you must've known me when I was around ten. It was long back then, so it wasn't very spiky.' 'That's a possibility.' She seemed satisfied with the answer and leaned against a tree standing at the side of the path. The two boys looked at her, both absolutely not satisfied with the answers she gave them. 'I'll tell you when I feel like it. Now, go on, battle. I thought you wanted to know who was a better trainer?'

'Bulbasaur!' The boy ran up to his partner and picked it up cautiously. 'Are you all right?' The toad made a weak sound and opened its eyes a little, causing its trainer to let out a relieved sigh. A few meters away, his opponent returned his Pokémon to its Poké Ball with a smug grin. 'Seems like I'm better. Sorry, man.' Red shot him a glance and stood up, Bulbasaur still in his arms. 'I suggest you both bring your Pokémon to the Pokémon Center,' the girl sitting at the side of the battlefield said. 'Charmander was also hurt a lot in the battle.'

As they walked to the Pokémon Center, Green spoke up. 'Hey, Red. Were you going to the Pokémon League?' 'Weren't you?' Red replied. 'Well, I wanted to know what was there. I couldn't have known it was the Pokémon League,' Green said defensively, 'but anyway, you can't go there.' 'Why not?' 'You need eight Gym badges, or the guard won't let you through.' The boy grinned at his apparently incredibly stupid rival. 'Even _you _should know that.' Red opened his mouth to say something witty, but Chaos had something to say too. 'He's right.' '_What?' _'You should've known that. They won't let you through without at least eight badges.' Luckily for Red, they had arrived at the Pokémon Center and Red stepped towards the desk before Green could humiliate him further.

'So, what was to the north again?' Chaos looked up. 'If you had just listened to me before you ran off towards a dead end, it would have saved you some time and humiliation.' 'I know.' He looked over his shoulder, where Green had just handed his Charmander to the nurse standing behind the desk. 'Just tell me.' She sighed and stood up, then started walking towards the Center's exit. When she was at the door, Chaos turned around and looked at Red (at least, he thought she did. She had pulled her hood over her head again the moment they re-entered the city). 'What are you doing? Would you like to wait for your brown-haired friend?' 'Um… not really.' He shrugged and followed her through the automatic doors. 'Good. That saves us some time. Follow me.' Chaos turned left and Red followed. 'Where are we going?' 'The Poké Mart. To the north of here, where you will need to go to get your first Gym Badge, is a large forest. It is full of bug-type, and more importantly, poison-type Pokémon. Without some Antidotes, we will need to return to the Pokémon Center more often than I would like.' 'Alright. Sounds good.' Red nodded and quickened his pace a little. His battle with Green had taken up some time, and he wouldn't like to sleep in the middle of a forest.


	9. Chapter 4,5 - 07122002

**Chapter 4,5 – Incident**

_Log 004. July 12, 2002._

'This is codename Fortis, one of codename Sol's assistants. Subject Musco has died. It seems that the lack of substance E in the body of codename Orsus has driven the subject to kill him. The exact circumstances and reason are still unknown, further investigation is being conducted right now. It is possible that the lack of substance W in codename Musco's body also has something to do with this.'

_It is silent for a few seconds, the person calling himself codename Fortis seems to have lost control over his voice. _

'The pace substance E is forming inside codename Orsus's body has slowed down even more. This is very fortunate. If we investigate the incident for a week, it will take only a week and a half to completely drain subject's body of E. If the incident is caused by the lack of substance W in subject Musco's body, however, it is possible that we will have to stop draining Orsus's body of substance E too, as it may be equally dangerous. Further experiments with substance I will have to be cancelled completely.'

_Footsteps are heard. Two people, probably male, are speaking in the distance. Apart from their conversation, which is not understandable through this file, nothing is heard for approximately half a minute. _

'This is codename Sol. We were able to reanimate subject Musco. The subject is currently in coma. Also, codename Orsus has been able to provide us with some answers. It seems the subject was outside his capsule and wanted to stop our experiments. He felt that killing the test subjects would put us in a difficult situation, especially considering it is impossible for us to obtain new ones. So, the subject turned off the machine providing oxygen to subject Musco. As we know now, of course, the alarm went off and we were able to get him out of his capsule just in time to save him. We were unable to find a pulse for some time, though, so it is possible codename Fortis thought he had died.'

_It is silent for a few more minutes. Some typing can be heard in the distance, but it can be assumed codename Sol is staying in the same place. _

'Unfortunately, this will delay the experiments. Unless codename Musco wakes up, we will have to use another test subject. Estimated time now seven weeks to codename Chaos.'


	10. Chapter 5 - Fifth step: Pallet Town

**Hello to everyone reading this new chapter! Before I say anything else: thanks for reading! **

**I haven't written anything for longer than I've wanted... Well, I ****_have _****written something, I just haven't finished it... **

**I'll put the things I'm currently working on on my profile, so you'll know what I'm doing (if you care, that is...).**

**And I guess I'll add the time I think it'll take to finish whatever I'm working on. Yeah, that'll do. **

**Anyway, enjoy this chapter. Just so you know, up until now, this is the prologue. It really starts when Red leaves his 'Known World' and enters the 'Unknown.' Making Viridian City his last 'known' place. **

**Disclaimer: I really, really don't own Pokémon. I'd love to work at Game Freak, though. **

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'Why is it that the professor always makes me run his errands for him?' Red sighed, a heavy package lying in his arms. 'What the hell is this, anyway?' 'Don't ask me, just keep walking. If you want to be back in time before the Pokémon Center closes, that is.' 'Hmph.' The two teenagers just kept walking down the route, occasionally jumping off some pretty high ledges. 'I just hope the stuff in here isn't glass or something. That would be pretty bad,' the boy said. 'Shut it. You accepted the package, now deal with it,' the girl replied.

As soon as the man behind the counter in the Poké Mart had seen them, he handed Red a heavy package and told him to deliver it to professor Oak in Pallet Town. Red had decided he would do that, and Chaos had decided to follow him. So, they were on their way back to Pallet Town.

'Hey! What are you doing here?' A loud voice broke the silence. When Red and Chaos turned around, they saw they were being approached by a familiar person. 'I should've known you'd return crying for your mommy the moment you set foot outside Viridian, Reddie.' 'Green.' They two stared at each other for a few seconds, the tension almost visible, until Chaos interrupted them. 'Would the fact that you're here too mean that the same goes for you?' Green, who obviously hadn't thought of that flaw in his reasoning, struggled for words for a second and then answered. 'Of course not. Gramps called me back for an important conversation. He said he had something that would make me stronger.' 'Interesting. Now, I would guess it has something to do with the package we were asked to deliver to him. Let's go.' Chaos started walking towards Pallet Town again, and the two boys followed. Behind her, she could hear Green asking Red about the package and later making fun of the fact that he had to carry it all the way back to his hometown. She soon stopped paying attention, though.

'Listen. Professor Oak is going to pretend not to know me, because he doesn't know I told you about the fact that he sent me. So just tell him you decided there's safety in numbers and you agreed on traveling together because we shared the same goals. That should make a believable story. Is that okay?' 'Yeah.' _It's a little strange, though. _They walked up to the laboratory's door and stepped inside. _When we met, she told me the 'real' reason she wanted to travel with me really quickly. _'Are you the famous professor Oak? I'm so happy to meet you, sir! I've heard so much about your research!' _If she really had to hide it, wouldn't she have tried much harder to convince me without having to reveal that? _'And what's your name, young lady? Why don't you take your hood off?' _It's possible that he really doesn't know her. But if that's true, why would she lie? What could she possibly gain from telling me the professor knows her? _'I'm sorry, sir, but I'd rather not. I had a terrible accident when I was young. I wouldn't want people to see my face.' She laughed a little nervously. _She really is a good actor. Whether the professor knows her or not, that sounded very honest. I can't trust her completely. She could be just some stalker, though I should've seen her before if she was… It's probably something else. _'Gramps, why did you call me here? And why are they here too?' 'Don't worry, Green, I'll tell you. Let's see…' _What could she gain from traveling with me? _The old man took the package Red had been carrying and thanked him for delivering it. Then, he opened the package and took out a bunch of Poké Balls. 'Very good, they're exactly as I asked. Now, come here.' He walked to the far end of the room, to a desk covered with papers, files and complex drawings with latin writing all over it. _Is it me in particular, or could it have been anyone? If it's not me, was she looking for someone taking the league challenge? No, I never mentioned I was doing that, right? She… she didn't know my name either, so she couldn't be looking for me. _'These red devices are called a Pokédex. They record data on Pokémon you've seen and send the data to me automatically, so it'll help with me research as well as giving you some information on the Pokémon you're facing. More specific data is recorded when you catch a Pokémon, so that'll also be a good way to make you catch some Pokémon, and I'll be able to study them even further! And when I find out something interesting about the Pokémon you've captured, I'll send the information over to both of your Pokédexes! Isn't that useful?' The professor held up two devices that were, indeed, red. _But wait. When I asked her about Green, she replied in a way that makes it certain she does know him. _'To add some spice to your journey, I've made it so that you can see how much species of Pokémon the other has caught, so you'd better catch a lot of Pokémon!' _Did she know him, and not me? Then why did she go to me? Was it because he really is too proud? If she just acted like she admired him, he'd be fine with it. She's got the acting skills for it. Is she too proud to do that? _'Oh, by the way, young lady… Are you traveling with one of these boys?' 'Yes, professor. With Red. He's taking the league challenge, and I wanted to do that too. So we figured that safety was in numbers.' _What? _'Then it'd be rude not to give you a Pokédex as well. I have a spare, so you can have it.' 'Really, professor?! Thank you so much!' 'Don't mention it. You will be able to see all that information as well. Make good use of it!' _I never told her I was taking the league challenge! _'I will! Thank you!' _How did she know? Did she just guess? _'All right, see you, professor!' _What the hell is going on?! How did she- _'Red, are you all right? You look a little sick.' _Chaos… Am I just overthinking things? _'I- I'm fine. Don't worry.' 'That's good. We really should hurry if we want to reach Viridian before it gets dark.' 'Y-Yeah…' _Chaos was her codename, wasn't it? Why does she have one? She's not the type for silly games like that. _'Let's go, Chaos.' 'Right.'

They thanked professor Oak once more and walked out of the building together. While they were walking towards the town's end, Green sped past them and disappeared into route 1. _What is her real name? _They stepped into the tall grass, and Red looked back to Pallet Town once more. The laboratory, his own house… The place where he grew up, where he'd always felt safe… Of course, he'd been to Viridian a few times with his mother. There weren't any large shops in the town, so they'd go there to stock up on some things sometimes. Not so often that he'd gotten very familiar with it, but at least he knew the way to the most important places. Once they'd enter Viridian Forest, he would enter the Unknown World. _Why does she hide her real name? _Silently walking through the tall grass, he looked aside towards Chaos, who had taken off her hood. _Who is she? _

They soon entered the city known as Viridian, and headed towards the Pokémon Center. After paying for a room they quickly ate their dinner and went to bed. Red still lied awake for some time, thinking things over, unable to sleep. Eventually, he, too, closed his eyes, and his breathing became steady. _I guess I'll wait and see. _


	11. Chapter 5,5 - Happy Ending?

**Chapter 5,5: Happy End?**

A group of teenagers was standing on the balcony of a large building. They were silent, something not very common for a group of teenagers, and most of them were staring at a girl with black hair standing on her own in the center of the group. Eventually, she was the one to break the silence. 'I'm sorry for what happened. It really was all my fault. If I wasn't there, none of you would have been wrapped up in this… this crazy…' 'We know, and I think I speak for everyone if I say we forgive you.' A boy with brown, spiky hair laughed. 'Did you think we wouldn't? Jeez, you'd really have to be heartless to be that way. But… it really is crazy, all this. All the fault of one mad man. And boy, was he _mad_.' Everyone seemed to agree, and when the girl saw that, she couldn't hold back her tears any longer. Nobody really seemed to know what to do, but then, a black-haired boy stepped forward and put his hand on her shoulder. 'Really, Alice, why are you crying? Everything ended well. It's the Happy End.' These words seemed to hurt her, as she flinched. 'Happy… End…? You really are throwing my own words back in my face…' 'Well, they're not really your own words, but I guess you're right. But that doesn't change the fact that a happy end isn't something to cry about. Nobody died.' 'This time. I killed you, you know. Or I would have, if things had gone differently.' 'You did?!' The boy was obviously shocked, for a reason. 'What did I do?!' 'Try to remember. You'll know what I mean, and I'm sure you won't forgive me.' She looked up towards the other boys and girls standing around her. 'You guys too. I've killed you all multiple times. Especially you.' She pointed at a boy with bright red hair. 'I've lost count of the times I killed you. You were so damn sure of yourself, but you just weren't strong at all. Aren't you all surprised you never lost to anyone other than each other? I made sure you did.' 'You mean you made the others lose?' 'No. I gave you the right information and the right tactics, because I knew what would happen if I didn't. If you think back, you'll probably notice that whenever I told you to use a specific tactic, you ended up really having to use it in battle every time.' Everyone thought for a moment, and then focused on Alice again. 'It's because the first time, I didn't help you, and you lost.' She looked down again, afraid to face them.

'So I killed you.'

_End of Prologue_

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**So here we go! The stage is set! Let's see how far I can get this until I die from confusion (because I keep confusing myself, really). Next chapter, Red's gonna enter Viridian Forest with Chaos and I guess we'll see the first bad ending coming soon... Yes, I've played 999. If you know what I'm talking about... it doesn't have to do anything with you-know-what. If you didn't play 999... Play it! You'll be mindblown to pieces and you'll love it- I guarantee! Just be prepared to read a lot... **

**Anyway, I've strayed from the topic. I'll try to finish chapters more frequently from now on! **

**See ya! **


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